72% of U.S. Teens Have Talked to AI Companions, New Study Shows
Let’s hope they’re not chatting with Grok’s buddies…
A new study from Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that focuses on kids and families, has found that most U.S. teens — about 72% — have tried talking to an AI companion at least once. These aren't the AI tools that help you do homework or answer questions. We're talking about chatbots made for more personal, emotional, and even deep conversations.
The study includes AI platforms like Character.AI or Replika — apps that feel like you're chatting with a digital “person.” It also includes general AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Claude, especially when teens use them for more personal talks.
It turns out that the idea of having a “digital friend” really appeals to teens between 13 and 17. Not only have nearly three-quarters of them given AI companions a try, but more than half (52%) say they use them regularly. Of those regular users, 13% talk to their AI daily, and 21% do so a few times a week. That’s a lot of digital bonding.
Interestingly, boys (31%) were a bit more likely than girls (25%) to say they’ve never used an AI companion. Overall, about 1 in 4 teens haven’t tried one yet.
The research was carried out between April and May 2025 by NORC at the University of Chicago, with a representative sample of 1,060 teens. It comes at a time when there are growing concerns about how AI affects teen mental health. For example, Character.AI is facing lawsuits linked to a teen suicide and violent content. There are also worries about using AI as a form of therapy, which isn’t always safe.
Still, this study gives us an early look into how teens are using AI to mimic real relationships — whether it's for emotional support, companionship, role-playing, or just having someone to talk to when no one else is around.
The study also dug into why teens use these AI companions and what they get out of it.
About 46% of teens said they saw AI companions more like tools or programs, while 33% said they used them more like friends — for social connection or even relationship-style chats. Teens mentioned several reasons for using AI companions: 30% said it was just for fun, 28% were curious about how the tech works, 18% looked for advice, and 17% said it was because the AI is always there when you need it — no need to worry about someone being “too busy.”
Interestingly, half of the teens (50%) said they don’t really trust the information AI gives them. Trust also changed with age — younger teens (13–14) were more likely to trust AI than older teens.
And here’s something surprising: one-third of teens said they found AI conversations more satisfying than chats with real-life friends. But don’t worry — most teens (67%) still prefer talking to actual people.
Some teens are even using AI as a “safe space” to practice life. About 39% said they used AI to build real-life skills. These include things like improving social confidence (39%), learning how to start conversations (18%), giving advice (14%), or getting better at showing emotions (13%).
So, will AI take over teen friendships? Probably not anytime soon. In fact, 80% of teens who use AI companions said they still spend more time with their real friends than with any chatbot. Only 6% said the opposite.
